USS Hennepin (AK-187)

Evidence

12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).

1. [1]Corn, Jacqueline Karnell, and Jennifer Starr, 'Historical perspective on asbestos: Policies and protective measures in World War II shipbuilding,' American Journal of Industrial Medicine 11(3):359-373 (1987) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Abstract and article, AJIM 11(3):359-373

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Peer-reviewed historical study documents that asbestos was used extensively as a fireproofing and insulating material in U.S. shipbuilding during WWII - the era and emergency program under which this C1-M-AV1 hull was mass-produced (Maritime Commission Design AV; first 100 ships contracted 1943-09-02 - MC hull 2118 falls in the first group, Walter Butler yard no. 36) - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard merchant-type hulls.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1940s era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

   Limitations

   Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel or the C1-M-AV1 type and does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-01

2. [2]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships - 'Hennepin' (AK-187) entry (Wayback capture 2016-03-04 of NHHC page; canonical NHHC URL returned 404 on 2026-09-21) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Wayback Machine capture 2016-03-04 of https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/hennepin.html - full entry; canonical NHHC URL and the content/history/nhhc variant both returned 404 (standing NHHC link rot, same as batches 01, 833, and 856); Wayback availability API returned no snapshot for this URL and the CDX endpoint returned 'Internet Archive: Temporarily Offline' mid-session - direct timestamped capture URL worked

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS 'Hennepin' entry records: namesake 'a county in Minnesota' (Hennepin County); stat line (AK-187: dp. 2,382 (lt.); l. 338'6"; b. 50'; dr. 21'1"; s. 11.5 k.; cpl. 85; a. 1 3", 6 20mm.; cl. Alamosa; T. C1-M-AV1). Laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, Wis., 1943-12-29; launched 1944-06-27, sponsored by Mrs. F. P. Heffelfinger; acquired by the Navy 1945-06-07; commissioned 1945-07-03 at Galveston, Tex., Lt. Comdr. Gavin L. Field in command. Shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico; departed Galveston 1945-07-22 to load cargo at Gulfport, Miss., and New Orleans, La.; departed New Orleans 1945-08-06 via the Panama Canal and the Marshalls, arriving Cebu 1945-09-23; Service Squadron 8 Philippines operations until 1945-11-19; departed Tacloban for Australia, loading at Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane; sailed 1945-12-17 with provisions for occupation troops in Korea, reaching Jinsen via Okinawa 1946-01-07; sailed for Japan 1946-01-25; arrived Yokosuka 1946-01-30; decommissioned 1946-02-16 and transferred to the Army. Army operation for SCAP in Japan until reacquired by the Navy 1950-07-01; refitted at Mitsubishi Shipyard, Kobe; assigned to MSTS 1951-02-28 and designated T-AK-187; civilian-crewed Korean supply runs primarily out of Moji and Sasebo; post-truce Japan-Korea runs; Operation 'Passage to Freedom' (departed Yokohama 1954-08-30, Haiphong 1954-09-07, three runs to Saigon via St. Jacques, departed 1954-12-22, arrived Sasebo 1955-01-03); 1955-1958 Far East operations incl. Saigon/Bangkok 1957-05-13 to 1957-07-03 plus Karachi and Bahrein; returned Yokohama from Pusan 1958-06-21; inactivated 1958-07-16; transferred to the Maritime Administration 1959-03-27. One battle star for Korean war service.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1959 (entry text)

   Population

   Navy crew (cpl. 85 per DANFS); Philippines/Australia/Korea occupation-supply cargo runs

   Limitations

   Authoritative for identity, chronology, and operations. Contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or hazardous-material statement. The 1946 disposal line 'transferred to the Army' and the 1950 line 'reacquired by the Navy' compress the documented WSA/War Department bareboat and Army->USMC->Navy title chain (MARAD card/ledger, BGSU HCGL registry) - see correction row. The entry's MSTS assignment date (1951-02-28) differs from shipscribe's operational-reassignment date (1951-04-01) - variance disclosed. Entry gives no struck date for the second strike and no post-1959 disposition.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-02

3. [3]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - HENNEPIN (AK-187), Ship History Detail 8454 (vessel status card scan cards/317_01.png; HENNEPIN.pdf transfer ledger documents/6da4942d-140e-47cf-8fd5-439a7ae3d702.pdf) [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 8454 - status-card scan read directly (cards/317_01.png custody face incl. handwritten two-stage delivery note); documents/6da4942d-140e-47cf-8fd5-439a7ae3d702.pdf transfer ledger (three rows: USMC->Army BBC '1945'; Army->USMC BBC 7/1/50; USMC->Navy Title 7/1/50); detail page fields Year Built 1944 / O.N. 246440 / Fate 'Transferred - U.S. Govt.'

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory records for this hull (Detail 8454 'HENNEPIN (AK-187)'): MARAD type C1-M-AV1; shipyard 'Walter Butler Shipbuilders'; year built 1944; U.S. Official Number 246440; length 338.50 ft, beam 50.00; displacement 7,450 (summer) / 2,382 (light); fate 'Transferred - U.S. Govt.'; mission field 'Korean War'; no milestones populated on the detail page. Vessel status card (scan 317_01.png) reads: MC Hull No. 2118; allocation rows - 'Navy Department | LB | Beaumont, Tex | 6-7-45 11am CWT'; 'War Department | BB | 2-16-46'; 'NAVY DEPT. | TITLE | 7-1-50'; handwritten construction note '11-28-44 5:30pm CWT del'd. by Walter Butler Shipbuilders Inc to USMC @ Superior, Wisc. (Incomp)' and '12-30-44 1:15pm CWT [delivered by] Froemming Bros. Inc., Milwaukee, Wis. to USMC (Completed AND delivered to Samuelson Shipyard @ Beaumont, Texas ... to be reassembled. Redel'd. 6-7-45.'; a further notation '3693.' of unclear reference. Transfer ledger (HENNEPIN.pdf): USMC -> Dept of Army (BBC, date cell reads only '1945'); Dept of Army -> USMC 7/1/50 (BBC); USMC -> Dept of Navy 7/1/50 (Title).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1944-1960

   Population

   War Department/SCAJAP crews 1946-1951 (Japanese merchant crews under Army shipping control - program-level characterization); MSTS civil-service crews 1951-1958

   Limitations

   Authoritative government custody record for this hull; status-card handwriting and typed fields read directly. The card's allocation table ends at the 1950 Navy title row - no post-1950 custody row appears, so the card does not itself document the 1959 MARAD transfer or the 1960 sale (BGSU HCGL's registry table independently corroborates the 1959-1960 Maritime Commission/Dept. of Commerce period). The ledger's USMC->Army bareboat row is dated only '1945' - the card's 2-16-46 delivery date is adopted as operative and the variance disclosed. The detail-page 'Fate: Transferred - U.S. Govt.' reflects the vessel leaving MARAD-title custody to the Navy, not a final disposition. Contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or machinery detail - supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-03

4. [4]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, USNS Hennepin (T-AK-187) ex USAT Hennepin / USS Hennepin (AK-187) page (compiled reference incl. awards, campaign table, CO list, specifications, photo captions) [other_primary]

   Locator

   navsource.net/archives/09/13/130187.htm (page last updated 2024-05-17) - full page incl. specifications block, Korean War campaign table, commanding-officer table, awards, photo captions; war-diary link 130187a.pdf

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online (Service Ship Photo Archive, T-AK-187 page) records: laid down 1943-12-29 as MC type C1-M-AV1 (MC hull 2118) at Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., Superior, WI; launched 1944-06-27; acquired by the Navy 1945-06-07; commissioned USS Hennepin (AK-187) 1945-07-03 at Galveston, TX, LT Gavin L. Field USNR in command; assigned Asiatic-Pacific Theater WWII; occupation service 1945-12-15 to 1946-02-16; decommissioned 1946-02-16 at Yokosuka, Japan; struck 1946-06-05; transferred to the U.S. Army for service in Japan (USAT Hennepin); reacquired by the Navy and placed in service by MSTS as USNS Hennepin (T-AK-187) 1950-07-01; Korean War campaign 'Second Korean Winter' 1952-02-10 to 1952-04-22; out of service 1958-07-16; struck 'date unknown'; one battle star for Korean war service; transferred to the Maritime Administration 1959-03-27; final disposition 'fate unknown.' Call sign NENJ. Ribbons: American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia clasp), Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Specs: 2,382 t (lt) / 7,450 t (fl); 338'6" x 50' x 29'2" limiting; 11.5 kts; complement 15 officers + 70 enlisted; largest boom 30 t; cargo 3,945 DWT incl. 9,830 cu ft refrigerated / 227,730 cu ft non-refrigerated; armament 1x3"/50 DP + 6x20mm AA; fuel 6,300 bbls diesel; propulsion one Nordberg Diesel TSM6, two 250 kW 120/240 V DC diesel-drive generators, single propeller, 1,750 shp. Photos: USNS Hennepin working cargo in a South Korean port circa 1953; working cargo date/location unknown. CO table: LT Field, Gavin Lewis, USNR, 1945-07-03 to 1946-02-16.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1960

   Limitations

   NavSource is a privately compiled standard reference, not a government publication; its spec block presumably derives from standard compilations - not independently corroborated. Its MSTS in-service date 1950-07-01 merges the title transfer with the operational reassignment (shipscribe: SCAJAP->MSTS 1951-04-01; DANFS: MSTS assignment 1951-02-28 - variance disclosed in correction row); its draft figure 29'2" (limiting) differs from DANFS 21'1" (different measures - disclosed); 'fate unknown' and second-strike 'date unknown' are superseded in part by shipscribe's strike 1960-06-01 and sale 1960-10-06. No asbestos content; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-04

5. [5]shipscribe.com, USS Alamosa (AK-156) Class page (U.S. Navy auxiliary ships reference) - construction/disposition tables, class notes, and ship note for AK-187 [other_primary]

   Locator

   shipscribe.com/usnaux/AK/AK156.html - Class Notes paragraphs (Design AV origin; Great Lakes transit paragraph; 1 Jul 44 CNO directive; 16 Aug 45 cancellation); Construction table row AK-187; Disposition table row 187; Ship Notes row '187 | HEN | NEP | IN | 2118'

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   shipscribe.com Alamosa (AK-156) class page: construction table carries AK-187 HENNEPIN - acquired 7 Jun 45, builder Walter Butler SB Superior, keel 29 Dec 43, launched 27 Jun 44, commissioned 3 Jul 45; disposition table carries decomm. 16 Jul 58, strike 1 Jun 60, disposal 6 Oct 60, fate 'Sold.' Ship note for AK-187 (MC hull 2118) reads verbatim: 'Delivered incomplete to MC in Great Lakes by Walter Butler 28 Nov 44 and by Froemming Bros. after completion 30 Dec 44; arrived at New Orleans 26 Mar 45. Reassembled by Samuelson SY, Beaumont, Texas and delivered to MC and Navy 7 Jun 45. Fitted out at Galveston, Texas (in service for ferrying 7-8 Jun 45). Decomm. and to WSA/Army (SCAJAP) 16 Feb 46 as HENNEPIN (V-205), stk. 5 Jun 46. Title from Army to Navy (MSTS) and on Navy list 1 Jul 50. Reassigned from SCAJAP to MSTS 1 Apr 51. Inactivated by MSTS at Yokosuka 16 Jul 58, sold by Navy at Yokosuka 6 Oct 60.' Class notes document: the C1-M-AV1 'Design AV' origin (1943 JCS/JMTC requirement for small steel inter-island cargo ships; diesel substituted for requested reciprocating steam; MC contracts for the first 100 approved 1943-09-02, MC hulls 2101-2174, 2194-2207, 2239-2250 - MC hull 2118 falls in that group); the Great Lakes hulls' dismantled waterway transit to New Orleans for completion (MC custody, not in service for the trip); the 1944-07-01 CNO-to-BuShips ammunition-tender conversion directive naming AK-156/158/160 ONLY (this hull not included); and the 1945-08-16 CNO cancellation of the last ten hulls (AK-187 not affected).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1960

   Limitations

   Ship-specific documentation of the two-stage Great Lakes build (Walter Butler incomplete 28 Nov 44, Froemming completion 30 Dec 44, Samuelson reassembly at Beaumont), the New Orleans arrival 26 Mar 45, the SCAJAP V-205 identity, the 1 Jul 50 title vs 1 Apr 51 operational-reassignment distinction, and the second strike 1 Jun 60 and sale 6 Oct 60 at Yokosuka - the only located source for those two disposal dates. shipscribe is a compiled reference (Stephen S. Roberts' U.S. Navy auxiliary ships work), not a primary document; the underlying Navy/MC records are paraphrased, not quoted verbatim. No asbestos content - the note documents construction itinerary and custody, not materials.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-05

6. [6]USS Hennepin (AK-187) War Diary, July 1945 - ship's own monthly report, serial AK187/A12-1, REG. NO. A70954 / REG. SHEET NO. 78 (scan contributed by Frank Gerhardt, hosted on NavSource) [other_primary]

   Locator

   navsource.net/archives/09/13/pdf/130187a.pdf - three-page scan read directly: page 1 (periods 3-5, 6-15 July), page 2 (16 July ammunition expenditure; 17-21 availability; 22 July NTS duty), page 3 (23-31 July positions en route Gulfport; arrived 24th; cargo loading through 31st; Field signature block)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   The ship's own war diary (NavSource-hosted scan, serial AK187/A12-1, CONFIDENTIAL, signed G. L. Field, Lieut., USNR, Commanding) documents July 1945: 3-5 July independent duty under the Industrial Manager, Eighth Naval District, undergoing shakedown in the Galveston area; 6-15 July independent duty under Commander Task Unit 23.82, Gulf Shakedown Unit Order X02; 16 July ammunition expended at practice - 32 rounds 3" 50-AA, 16 rounds 3" 50-AP, 720 rounds 20MM-AA-HEI, 360 rounds 20MM-AA-HET; 17-21 July post-shakedown availability, Galveston; 22 July at 0001 commenced independent duty under Director of Naval Transportation Service; 23-31 July en route Gulfport, Mississippi (positions logged), arrived Gulfport 24 July for cargo loading, continuing to receive cargo on the 31st.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1945-07

   Population

   Navy crew aboard during shakedown and first cargo run (July 1945)

   Limitations

   Genuine primary document - the ship's own war diary for its first month in commission; corroborates the DANFS shakedown/departure chronology and documents the Naval Transportation Service assignment from 22 July 1945. Covers July 1945 only - no materials, insulation, or maintenance content of any kind; supports no asbestos claim. Other months' war diaries for this hull are not digitized at NavSource (NARA RG 24 remains the lead for the rest of the commissioned period).

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-06

7. [7]NavalCoverMuseum (navalcovermuseum.org) - HENNEPIN T-AK 187 page (designation history, cover record, awards) [other_primary]

   Locator

   navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/HENNEPIN_T-AK_187 - Ship Name and Designation History, Covers Page 1 (1958), Postmarks table (US Army/US Air Force machine cancel, 1958-05-13), Other Information

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   NavalCoverMuseum HENNEPIN T-AK 187 page records the designation chronology (USS HENNEPIN AK-187 commissioned 3 Jul 1945 - decommissioned 16 Feb 1946, struck 'date unknown,' transferred to the US Army for service in Japan; USAT HENNEPIN 1946-1950; USNS HENNEPIN T-AK-187 reacquired by the Navy 1 Jul 1950, in service 1 Jul 1950 - out of service 16 Jul 1958, struck 'date unknown,' transferred to the Maritime Administration 27 Mar 1959), namesake ('a county in Minnesota'), and one battle star for Korean war service. Its cover record includes a US Army/US Air Force machine cancel dated 1958-05-13 associated with the ship - placing the hull in documented military-mail service near the end of its MSTS career.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1945-1959

   Limitations

   Compiled collector reference - corroborates the NavSource custody chronology and supplies the only located cover datum for the MSTS era (a 1958 Army/Air Force machine cancel; the ship carried no postmarks of its own - 'No Postmarks Reported'). No asbestos content; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-07

8. [8]Bowling Green State University, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL) - Vessels database record for HENNEPIN, item 437108 (registry/rig, dimensions/tonnage, name spans, owner spans, vessel history, disposition) [other_primary]

   Locator

   greatlakes.bgsu.edu/item/437108 - Registry and Rig Information; Dimensions and Tonnage; Vessel History; Disposition; Vessel Names table (four spans); Vessel Owners table (five spans incl. 'U.S. Maritime Commission (Operator; Department of Army)' 1946-1951 and '(Operator; Department of Commerce)' 1959-1960)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (Bowling Green State University) vessel record for HENNEPIN: registry/rig - U.S. registry, Official Number 246440, propeller, steel hull, hull number 00036; dimensions/tonnage - length 323.75 (registered), width 50.00, depth 26.42, gross 3,805.00, net 2,123.00. Vessel-name spans: HENNEPIN (AK-187) 1945-1946 U.S. Navy; HENNEPIN 1946-1951 U.S. O.N. 246440 (the Army/SCAJAP period); HENNEPIN (T-AK-187) 1951-1959 U.S. Navy (MSTS); HENNEPIN 1959-1960 U.S. O.N. 246440. Owner spans: U.S. Maritime Commission 1945; U.S. Navy 1945-1946; U.S. Maritime Commission (Operator; Department of Army) 1946-1951; U.S. Maritime Commission (Dept. of Navy - Military Sea Transportation Service) 1951-1959; U.S. Maritime Commission (Operator; Department of Commerce) 1959-1960. Narrative: built as C1-M-AV1 for USMC; acquired by Navy 7 Jun 1945, commissioned 3 Jul 1945; departed New Orleans for the Pacific 6 Aug 1945; Philippines/Australia/Japan sectors; 'Decommissioned on January 30, 1946, at Yokosuka and transferred to U.S. Army'; reacquired 1 Jul 1950, refit at Mitsubishi Shipyard Kobe, assigned to MSTS 28 Feb 1951; Far East service 1951-1958; inactivated 16 Jul 1958; 'transferred to the Maritime Commission on March 27, 1959.' Disposition: 'Dropped from Record in 1960 and presumed scrapped.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1945-1960

   Limitations

   University-archive registry record - independently corroborates the custody chain (Navy 1945-46; Army-operator 1946-51; MSTS 1951-59; Maritime Commission/Dept. of Commerce 1959-60) and supplies register dimensions/tonnages absent from the MARAD detail page. Its 'Decommissioned on January 30, 1946' conflates the Yokosuka arrival (30 Jan) with the actual decommissioning (16 Feb, per DANFS/NavSource/MARAD card) - disclosed in correction row. 'Dropped from Record in 1960 and presumed scrapped' is an honest compiled disposition - consistent with shipscribe's documented 6 Oct 60 sale, but 'presumed' is not a demolition record. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-08

9. [9]shipbuildinghistory.com - Walter Butler Shipbuilders (Superior WI) yard page (yard table row for hull 36 / MC 2118); Froemming Bros. (Milwaukee WI) yard page; C1 cargo ships table row for MC 2118 [other_primary]

   Locator

   shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/butlersuperior.htm - yard history paragraph and table row '36 | AK 187 | Hennepin | WSA | C1-M-AV1 | 2118 | 3,805 | Dec-44 | Scrapped 1960'; froemming.htm yard history; merchantships/2c1cargoships.htm row for MC 2118

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Builder-yard context: Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc., took over Lake Superior Shipbuilding at the outset of the war; the yard stood at North 1st and Hammond Avenue, Superior, WI; its yard table carries this hull as yard no. 36, name Hennepin, original owner WSA, type C1-M-AV1, MC no. 2118, LDT 3,805, delivered Dec-44, disposition 'Scrapped 1960.' Froemming Bros. (Milwaukee, WI - north side of the Kinnickinnic river west of South 1st Street, wartime-only yard operating 1942-1945) is the completion yard named on the MARAD card and in the shipscribe note. The separate C1 cargo ships table carries row '2118 | Butler SB | Superior WI | 36 | Hennepin | C1-M-AV1 | 5,032 | Dec-44 | To USN as AK 187, scrapped 1960.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1945

   Population

   Walter Butler (Superior), Froemming Bros. (Milwaukee), and Samuelson Shipyard (Beaumont) construction/reassembly workforces (1943-45)

   Limitations

   Yard-level context for the builder and completion yard of this hull; documents the facilities' wartime-yard nature and the hull's yard number, but contains no asbestos or materials information and establishes nothing about materials aboard this hull. 'Scrapped 1960' is a compiled disposition assertion consistent with shipscribe's documented 6 Oct 60 sale at Yokosuka and BGSU's 'dropped from record 1960, presumed scrapped' - carried as consistent-but-unverified, not as a demolition record. The '3,805' figure matches BGSU's gross register tonnage, not light displacement. None of the three yards in this hull's construction chain (Walter Butler Superior, Froemming Milwaukee, Samuelson Beaumont) is an Atlas shipyards.json entry - related_shipyards is empty and the gap is logged.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-09

10. [10]Batch-863 search ledger (this record): DANFS via Wayback; MARAD ShipHistory 8454 + status card + HENNEPIN.pdf ledger; NavSource (page + war-diary scan); shipscribe; shipbuildinghistory (Walter Butler Superior, Froemming, C1 cargo table); NavalCoverMuseum; BGSU HCGL item 437108; NVR hull check; CourtListener API v4 (authenticated) sweep attempt; web-wide litigation searches; NARA catalog; Wikipedia/mirror fate check [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-hennepin-ak187-01 through sl-uss-hennepin-ak187-14

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming USS Hennepin / AK-187 / T-AK-187 / USAT Hennepin / MC hull 2118 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). The hull was sold by the Navy at Yokosuka in October 1960 - before the Navy's late-1970s asbestos-control programs and NESHAP demolition rules - and any dismantling occurred abroad, so no U.S.-regulated abatement record was ever expected to exist for this hull. The ship appears on bulk law-firm marketing lists of Navy hulls (mesotheliomasymptoms.com, freeasbestostesting.com, duboselawfirm.com, mesotheliomaasbestoshelpcenter.com); those lists enumerate every Navy ship and carry no ship-specific evidence - classified non-qualifying and not cited. Open-web litigation searches returned no hull-naming case (the only 'Hennepin' vessel in located case law is a 1907 Great Lakes steamer in Minneapolis, St. P. & B. S. S. Co. v. Manistee Transit Co. - a different vessel and a name collision, not this hull).

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-21

    Study period

    2026-09-21

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1944-45 C1-M-AV1 hull is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials. Unlike the class lead ship, this hull has no documented materials event (the 1944 ammunition-tender conversion directive covered only AK-156/158/160; AK-187's ship note documents construction itinerary only). COVERAGE LIMITATION: the authenticated CourtListener sweep was blocked - the shared API key's 2,800/day quota was already exhausted by other fleet usage, and the stated reset (~10.7 h) exceeds this session; the eight planned queries are documented in sl-10 but returned no data. The negative finding therefore rests on the completed open-web and repository searches - NOT a clean CourtListener negative; docket-level coverage remains an open gap. Does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-10

11. [11]Cross-source reconciliation: DANFS (Wayback mirror); NavSource T-AK-187 page + war-diary scan; MARAD Detail 8454 status card (317_01.png) and HENNEPIN.pdf ledger; shipscribe AK-156 class page; NavalCoverMuseum HENNEPIN T-AK 187; BGSU HCGL item 437108; shipbuildinghistory Walter Butler Superior, Froemming, and C1 cargo tables; Wikipedia USS Hennepin (lead index only) [other_primary]

    Locator

    Per-item: shipscribe construction/disposition/ship-note rows vs NavSource chronology vs MARAD card face (317_01.png) and ledger vs DANFS entry disposal lines vs BGSU name/owner spans and narrative vs shipbuildinghistory hull-36/MC-2118 disposition columns; war-diary signature block (page 3) for the rank point; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hennepin_(AK-187) infobox for the compiled 'scrapped 1960' claim

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Source discrepancies logged, not merged: (a) MSTS operational start - DANFS 'assigned to MSTS 28 February 1951' vs shipscribe 'Reassigned from SCAJAP to MSTS 1 Apr 51' vs NavSource/NavalCoverMuseum 'in service 1 Jul 1950' (the title-transfer date) - all three framings carried. (b) Second strike - shipscribe 1 Jun 60 adopted; NavSource and NavalCoverMuseum carry 'date unknown.' (c) Final disposition - shipscribe 'sold by Navy at Yokosuka 6 Oct 60' adopted as the documented event; BGSU 'dropped from record in 1960 and presumed scrapped' and shipbuildinghistory 'scrapped 1960' are honest compiled assertions consistent with the sale; NavSource 'fate unknown' - buyer and demolition site undocumented, carried as gap. (d) 1946 disposal chain - DANFS 'transferred to the Army' compresses the documented WSA/War Department bareboat (card 'War Department | BB | 2-16-46'; shipscribe 'to WSA/Army (SCAJAP) ... as HENNEPIN (V-205)'; BGSU owner span 'U.S. Maritime Commission (Operator; Department of Army)' 1946-1951) - MARAD/shipscribe chain adopted, DANFS gloss disclosed; the transfer ledger's USMC->Army row reads only '1945,' variance disclosed. (e) BGSU 'Decommissioned on January 30, 1946, at Yokosuka' conflates the documented 30 Jan arrival with the 16 Feb decommissioning - DANFS/NavSource/MARAD card adopted, BGSU date disclosed. (f) Complement - DANFS cpl. 85 and NavSource 15 officers + 70 enlisted (85) agree; shipscribe class table carries 69 (1944) and the MC Design AV intent was 8 officers + 67 men (75) - DANFS adopted. (g) Commanding officer rank - NavSource 'LT. Gavin L. Field, USNR' vs DANFS 'Lt. Comdr. Gavin L. Field' - war-diary signature block reads 'G. L. FIELD, Lieut., USNR' - LT adopted per the primary document, DANFS styling disclosed. (h) Spec variances - displacement 2,382 lt (DANFS stat line, NavSource, MARAD) vs 2,474 light (shipscribe class table); length 338'6"/338.5' LOA (DANFS/NavSource/MARAD/shipscribe) vs BGSU registered length 323.75; BGSU register tonnages gross 3,805 / net 2,123 (matching shipbuildinghistory's '3,805' yard-table figure) vs displacement figures elsewhere - different measurement systems, all stated; draft 21'1" (DANFS) vs 29'2" 'limiting' (NavSource) vs BGSU depth 26.42 - different measures, all stated; speed 11.5 kts all sources agree; power 1,750 shp (NavSource and shipscribe agree). (i) Build-path framing - MARAD card and shipscribe agree on the Walter Butler -> Froemming -> waterway -> Samuelson itinerary; the detail page's single 'Shipyard: Walter Butler Shipbuilders' field is adopted with the completion/reassembly legs disclosed. (j) 1907 litigation name collision - Minneapolis, St. P. & B. S. S. Co. v. Manistee Transit Co. (W.D.N.Y. 1907) involves a steam propeller 'Hennepin' built decades before this hull - a different vessel, classified name collision, not evidence for or against this hull.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    correction

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-21

    Study period

    1943-1960 (dates reconciled 2026-09-21)

    Limitations

    Resolves nothing by fiat - records which source says what so downstream consumers inherit the conflicts honestly. Where a primary record and a compiled reference disagree, the primary record (MARAD card/ledger, war diary, DANFS) is adopted and the variant disclosed. No asbestos content in any reconciled source.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-11

12. [12]NARA record-group guidance: RG 24 deck logs/war diaries (post-1941 at Archives II, College Park); RG 178 (U.S. Maritime Commission) Construction Division records; SCAJAP/War Department shipping records; Navy/MARAD disposal files for the 1960 Yokosuka sale [other_primary]

    Locator

    archives.gov/research/military/logbooks (post-1941 Navy deck logs at College Park); archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/178.html; catalog.archives.gov returned only its JS application shell to automated query on 2026-09-21 - no digitized AK-187 log confirmed beyond the NavSource-hosted July 1945 war diary

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction orders; no spend authorized): (a) NARA RG 24 WWII deck logs and war diaries for AK-187 (1945-46) at Archives II, College Park - the Philippines/Australia/Korea supply run and the Yokosuka turnover would be logged there; NavSource hosts only the July 1945 war-diary pages. (b) MSTS-era records for T-AK-187 (1950/51-1958) - the Korean shuttle, Passage to Freedom, and 1955-58 Far East employment are documented only at DANFS narrative level; MSTS movement reports and deck logs are the likeliest detail source. (c) NARA RG 178 (U.S. Maritime Commission) Construction Division records may hold the MC hull 2118 contract, the Walter Butler (yard 36) / Froemming completion handoff, and the Samuelson reassembly file - the likeliest surviving source for any materials scope on the two-stage build. (d) Army/SCAJAP records for HENNEPIN (V-205 / USAT Hennepin), 1946-1951 - Japanese-crewed repatriation and occupation-support service under War Department bareboat. (e) The 1950-51 Mitsubishi Shipyard (Kobe) refit file - likeliest source for any postwar materials scope before MSTS service. (f) The October 1960 Navy sale record at Yokosuka (BuShips/NAVSEA sale file or MARAD disposal record) and any Japanese demolition record - the likeliest sources for the buyer and final disposition that compiled sources leave as 'scrapped 1960'/'presumed scrapped'/'fate unknown.' (g) A deferred CourtListener re-sweep when the shared API quota resets - the eight planned queries are itemized in sl-10.

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-21

    Study period

    1943-1960 records

    Limitations

    Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of asbestos-specific documents for this hull is unknown until surveyed in person. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hennepin-ak187-12